This spectacular coffee was washed with a standard natural process with one minor but labor-intensive intervention: after sorting and floating, the fresh coffee cherry is placed into a hermetic plastic liner (in this case, a fresh GrainPro bag) and tied shut, where it is allowed to speed-ripen for five full days before drying. This method, which the farmers call the “winey” process due to the additional wine-like volatiles and acids present in the final cup, is an attempt to maximize the ripening of available sugars in the fruit for absorption into the seed inside.
It is a constant chore to maintain temperature stability, so the extreme environment inside the bag doesn’t spoil the cherry, and as such often involves moving the bags in and out of the direct sun around the clock. Once cured, the softened and fragrant coffee cherries are taken directly to raised beds under shade for a very gradual drying process of almost three weeks.
Oxygen-deprived or “anaerobic” fermentation environments like the above have gained traction among processing wonks in coffee for the unique flavors and tanginess they can add, as well as creating wholly distinct flavors in the cup than those we’re used to.
In this case, the farmers took an exemplary natural Ethiopian Sidama coffee and added a definite bump of intensity to the fruit flavors and concentration to the mouthfeel. The coffee is extra pulpy, syrupy, pineapple-sweet, and, yes, red wine-like indeed.
USDA Organic Certified products must be produced using agricultural production practices that foster resource cycling, promote ecological balance, maintain and improve soil and water quality, minimize the use of synthetic materials, and conserve biodiversity.
Images Provided by Royal Coffee, Inc.